The rumors about the Algonquin Hall dormitories are now a reality — the oldest residential housing facility on the Boca campus, built in 1964, will be demolished during the summer of 2019.

Rather than renovating the building, FAU will knock down Algonquin and replace it with a new residence hall on the same plot of land. The new dormitory, which has yet to be named, is expected to be completed in the fall of 2021. It will cost no more than $69.8 million dollars to build, according to Vice President for Student Affairs Corey King.

Algonquin is being torn down due to the need for additional housing, Director of Housing and Residential Education Raymond Gordon said. He anticipates this new residence hall to have 600 beds, which is over 400 more than what Algonquin currently has.

Students will be able to choose between single and double rooms in the new dorm, and will have separate instead of community showers. There will also be multiple community kitchens, laundry rooms, and study rooms.

Housing rates for the 2019-2020 academic school year will remain the same. Students who need affordable housing next year can sign up for a double in University Village Apartments (UVA), as the cost is only $50 more a semester, Gordon said.

However, this higher cost is compensated for because it is not mandatory to purchase a meal plan while living in UVA like it is in Algonquin, he added. All meal plans cost more than $1,500 per semester.

Destiny Harris is a contributing writer with the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected].